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‘It was time for me to get out of Chelsea,' McEachran said. 'I had been at the club for 15 years and I wanted a fresh start and the chance to get out and settle down and play football week-in, week-out. Now is the time for me to push on.

‘There is a lot of pressure when you are playing in the Champions League when you are 17, you are in the papers and reading what they are saying, but it is a good pressure to have.

‘I have been on a few loans but now I feel a lot more settled. I have signed for four years so I can concentrate on my football.’

McEchran has had somewhat of a nomadic career with loan spells at Swansea, Middlesbrough, Watford, Wigan and last season in the Eredivisie with Vitesse Arnhem.

McEachran made his debut for Chelsea in the Champions League during the 2010-11 season. Here the midfielder is pictured putting pressure on Marseille's Mathieu Valbuena during a European tie

McEachran would feature often under Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea but failed to kick on at Stamford Bridge

JOSH MCEACHRAN LEAGUE CAREER

Years

Team

Apps†

Gls†

2010-–2015

Chelsea

11

0

2012

Swansea City (loan)

4

0

2012-–2013

Middlesbrough (loan)

38

0

2013–-2014

Watford (loan)

7

0

2014

Wigan Athletic (loan)

8

0

2014–-2015

Vitesse Arnhem (loan)

19

0

It was while playing for Vitesse last season that he caught the eye of new Brentford boss Marinus Dijkhuizen who was in charge of Excelsior.

And the 22-year-old has been impressed with the new manager in the short time he has been at the club.

McEachran may have swapped the millionaires car park at Chelsea’s Cobham training complex for the more modest surroundings of Brentford’s Osterley base – but says he could not be happier to be settled at a club.

He added: ‘I am not bothered about the facilities. As long as they have a football pitch and changing rooms then that is all I am worried about, I am here to play football.

‘I knew of the manager last season when I played against his team Excelsior in Holland and I met him and he told me what he wants me to do. He was pretty specific and he knew a lot about me, which was good.

‘Having a four-year contract gives me some stability and I want to make sure I play and that we are in the promotion places at the end of the season. We seem to be gelling well, we have only played together for a few weeks, but it feels like a few months.’

McEachran (left) was on loan at Vitesse Arnhem last season and above dodges a tackle from PSV's Georginio Wijnaldum during a Dutch top flight match in January

Brenford were the surprise package last season under Mark Warburton and were beaten by Middlesbrough in the play-offs, but McEachran says there is no reason why they cannot push on this season and go one step further and reach the Premier League.

He added: ‘Considering the club was in League One a few years ago and after the season they had last season the aim is obviously to win promotion. I believe we have the team, the squad and the staff to achieve that. The expectation is big, but I think we can handle it.

‘Not many players have left from last season’s squad and players like myself have been added so I definitely think we are stronger.'

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Josh McEachran admits he had to quit Chelsea as Brentford midfielder targets Premier League return with new club